A Breath of Fresh Air

I love living in a big city like Madrid.

The busy, loud atmosphere is one that I thoroughly enjoy – there is always something to do or see. I love walking through the streets in order to go places, feeling the heartbeat of the city as I walk (not having to drive everywhere is so LIBERATING). I also love navigating public transportation, which maybe is a little strange – but in my mind it’s kind of like a puzzle. (Note: one of the things I look forward to each day is jamming to pre-selected tunes on the metro during my morning commute. If you have any music recommendations, let me know)!

Despite all these wonderful things, I miss the great outdoors – with things like clean, fresh air, wide open spaces, mountains, and scenic views. I don’t prefer one over the other – city to countryside – because in my mind, they both have their own distinct appeal. But after living in a mountainous region for the past four years and taking great advantage of opportunities there, the arrival of crisp fall weather in Madrid brought a certain wistfulness for the Ozarks. I decided to address this with an adventure into the Spanish countryside.

Through the advice of a friend and the help of Facebook, I signed up for a group hiking trip. I wasn’t sure what to expect – but Saturday morning, I woke up early, put on several layers, and made my way to the bus terminal to meet the group. There was a forecast for potential rain, so I sent up a prayer against bad weather to the universe as I made my way uptown.

After meeting everyone at the terminal, we embarked for Bustarviejo, which is about an hour and a half bus trip outside Madrid. This is where we would begin our trek. The trip went by delightfully quick due to great conversation, and before I knew it we were in the little mountain town. We then headed down one of the cobblestone roads to a little cafetería to grab some coffee and do official introductions before we started our route. Afterwards, we zipped our backpacks up and set out into la Sierra Norte de Madrid.

At the beginning of the trip, one of my new friends remarked, “the air out here smells SO good!” And it was true – the fresh air did wonders for all of us who live in the city. It was clean and thin, and the sun was thankfully bright in the sky for the majority of the hike (and no rain)! The mountain air was chilly and windy, but not unbearable. Craggy rocks flanked the gravel trail as we ascended, and as we got higher and higher, the view got better and better. I felt lighter inside – from the pure air, the rural beauty, and new friends to share and experience it all with. It was an ideal situation. My soul were refreshed as we trekked through the morning and afternoon, chatting and joking and laughing and snacking (on PB&J, jamón chips, bananas, and yes, three kinds of chocolate) the whole way.

We descended down through a forest, with tall pine trees and a mossy, rocky path. The air was damp and thick and we all had to shed at least a layer (if not two). Yellow plants bloomed among the fallen orange pine needles, creating a beautiful carpet of fall colors. Eventually, we ended up at a highway, which we followed to a bit to a roadside bar. We shared a round of drinks, took a group picture, and then found our way to the nearest bus stop. The bus ride home was quieter because of everyone’s mutual exhaustion, but I was able to reflect and be grateful for the time I was able to spend in the countryside and the people with whom I was able to connect.

Coming back to the busy city after the adventure in Bustarviejo gave me a deeper appreciation for where I live. When I returned, I felt energized by the electric hum of the metro as I made my way back downtown, riding the line in communion with strangers whose lives are as complex as my own. I texted my new friends from the hike, conversing about future hikes or activities in the city that we could do together in the near future. I called a friend from home and had a wonderful conversation about life on a park bench in the middle of a busy street.

And maybe this is one of the things I am trying to convey with my account of this experience: that beauty can be found everywhere, but different perspectives are often necessary to bring unrealized beauty to our attention. I want to appreciate each individual experience and situation in my life, but sometimes getting in a comfortable routine can blind me from everyday things that have the possibility to inspire and encourage. Sometimes, I think it is necessary to retreat for a bit and clear our minds (whatever that looks like for each individual), to make new connections with people with different lives than us, and take a breath of fresh air that isn’t what we’re used to. Because when we return to our daily lives, the things we love most about where we are will be even more present in our hearts.

If you have any thoughts or a story from your own life about this topic, I’d love to hear about it! You can share with me over on my contact page, or feel free to tweet me.